According to the World Health Organization, more than one billion people—approximately 16 percent of the global population—live with some form of disability. For many of these individuals, everyday tasks, mobility, and independence remain significant challenges. While industrial solutions exist, they are often prohibitively expensive and inaccessible to those who need them most. At the recent Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, three brilliant high school students showcased how low-cost embedded systems, computer vision, and robotics can break down these barriers. Their exceptional projects earned them the prestigious IEEE Presidents’ Scholarship, presented by IEEE President Mary Ellen Randall.
For electronics hobbyists, Arduino developers, and embedded systems engineers, these winning designs offer a masterclass in creative prototyping, showing how consumer-grade components and clever mathematics can match or even exceed the performance of industrial systems.
1. Tonguage: Hands-Free Control via Computer Vision
Taking home the top prize of a $10,000 scholarship was Hollie Tang, a sophomore from Wilson High School in California, for her project titled Tonguage. Tang designed a completely non-invasive, computer-vision-based human-machine interface (HMI) that allows users to control digital devices, robotic arms, and electric wheelchairs using only facial movements.
Instead of relying on expensive eye-tracking rigs or invasive implants, Tonguage runs on standard, budget-friendly laptop webcams. The system processes video feeds in real time, mapping the user's tongue movements to act as a directional mouse cursor, while simple eye blinks are translated into clicks. The HMI decodes a mixture of tongue positioning and continuous movement patterns to generate precise control commands.
For embedded developers, the safety features of Tang’s project are particularly noteworthy. She implemented a face-tracking security layer that locks onto the authorized user. If an onlooker walks into the camera frame, the system ignores their facial expressions, preventing catastrophic control errors—a crucial feature when piloting a motorized wheelchair. Tang emphasizes that her focus was on empathy and accessibility, ensuring that the software runs on low-cost hardware so that socioeconomic barriers do not limit access to life-changing assistive technologies.
2. NeuroGait: A $276 Mind-Controlled Exoskeleton
Second-place winner Partap Sidhu, a junior at Bethpage High School in New York, received a $600 scholarship for his incredible project, NeuroGait. Inspired by volunteering at a community center that lacked elevators, Sidhu set out to build a mind-controlled, lower-limb exoskeleton that could help people climb stairs.
NeuroGait works by detecting the Bereitschaftspotential (readiness potential)—a subtle electrical change in the brain that occurs up to two seconds before a person makes a conscious decision to move. Using a custom-built electroencephalogram (EEG) headset, the brainwave signals are captured and routed to a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The CNN achieves an astonishing 99.9% accuracy in identifying the user's intended direction of movement. This command is then transmitted to a 3D-printed lower-limb exoskeleton.
From an engineering perspective, Sidhu's mechanical design is highly innovative. Rather than using heavy, rigid electric motors or servo systems, the suit employs custom pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs). These soft actuators mimic actual human muscle fibers, offering a high level of compliance and flexibility that naturally conforms to the user’s physical limitations. Amazingly, Sidhu developed this entire system—including the EEG, CNN processing, and pneumatic hardware—for just $276. Commercial medical exoskeletons typically retail between $40,000 and $100,000, showcasing how DIY makers can dramatically disrupt expensive medical hardware markets.
3. Math Into Motion: A Disaster-Response Robotic Hexapod
Calvin Shang Hung, a sophomore at El Cerrito High School in California, took third place and a $400 scholarship for his project, Math Into Motion: Robotic Hexapod for Hazardous Environments. Inspired by the struggles of planetary rovers on uneven terrain and the devastating 2023 earthquake in Türkiye, Hung engineered a six-legged robot capable of navigating highly unstable rubble to deliver medical supplies and locate survivors.
Hung, who had no prior formal electrical engineering experience, taught himself 3D modeling, coding, soldering, and custom PCB design to bring the hexapod to life. The robot utilizes a stable tripod walking gait—where three legs remain firmly on the ground while the other three step forward—ensuring continuous balance on uneven ground.
To control the hexapod's movement, Hung implemented three advanced mathematical concepts:
- Inverse Kinematics: Translates the desired coordinate of a foot in 3D space into the precise motor angles required for the joints.
- Linear Interpolation: Smoothes out the motion profiles, breaking jerky transitions into fluid steps.
- Euclidean Transformations: Corrects the orientation calculations so that each leg can coordinate effectively, regardless of which direction the robot is facing.
The journey was not without major hurdles. During the design of his third prototype, a severe short circuit destroyed his custom-designed PCB. Rather than giving up, Hung doubled down, simplified his circuit design, and rebuilt the system from scratch. His fourth prototype successfully marched across his living room floor, demonstrating the grit and resilience required of any successful embedded systems developer.
Inspiration for the Maker Community
These three impressive projects highlight a growing trend in the Maker and DIY communities: the convergence of affordable hardware, accessible machine learning, and human-centric design. Whether you are working with an ESP32, an Arduino, or a Raspberry Pi, these teen innovators prove that you do not need a multi-million dollar corporate budget to build systems that solve profound human challenges. With patience, empathy, and a willing attitude toward trial and error, today's developers can write the future of assistive technology and robotics.
About EDATA SL
EDATA SL shares practical electronics, embedded systems, Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, IoT, repair guides, DIY projects and technical news for engineers, students and makers.
Original news rewritten with AI for educational purposes.
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